Insider Interviews: Louisa Drake: Fitness Trainer & Founder
LDM has quickly become one of London's leading fitness destinations. So we sat down with Founder Louisa Drake to find out how she formulated her unique method & the lessons she learnt training Hollywood's elite.
by Amy Wilson WylesJob Title: Creator & Founder of The Louisa Drake Method.
Location: London Studio location but an international client base with options to train online.
Famous For: Creating stronger, leaner bodies through effective & science-led workouts, nutritional coaching, lifestyle advice & programming.
Clients/Fans Include: Hollywood actress Felicity Jones, Actress & writer Catherine Steadman, Victoria Secret model Jeísa Chiminazzo. Previously trained Victoria Beckham & Gwyneth Paltrow.
Years in the Industry: 10 years as a fitness and wellness professional. Prior to that a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer & movement coach.
The Backstory
I started my fitness journey working alongside Tracy Anderson. It was a great opportunity to meet a mix of high profile clients and travel between London, NY and LA. This was right at the start of the boutique fitness boom in London so it opened my eyes to the American trends for wellness. It was an interesting part of my career that began while I was still working as a professional dancer, choreographer and had started teaching dance and was considering a move into fitness. I was one of two girls who went on to be accepted into Tracy’s company.
My second audition and interview was with Gwyneth Paltrow and that’s when I realised that the job was also to be her trainer in London and support her. I spent an intense summer training up and assisting Tracy and her core team of lead instructors. I stayed with the company for two years working in LA, NYC, the Hamptons and London for a mix of clients and celebrities. I then moved into a more Pilates and barre focussed career path in addition to my personal training qualifications and further nutritional training with the Poliquin Group.
Starting my own method came about due to a combination of necessity to offer my approach and feeling a bit restless working for bigger companies and being lost in the system as just another instructor or PT. Often instructors or trainers are simply put into boxes: you’re a pilates instructor, yoga teacher or a traditional personal trainer. I was already carving out a style and blending a mixture of these disciplines together in my personal training classes which were becoming known for being creative and progressive.
For those yet to try an LDM class, I’d describe it as uplifting, effective, varied and always slightly different. It’s a fitness-fusion approach so there’s a little bit of everything you know and love carefully programmed into my class formats. LDM is a shape-changer that generates a longer, leaner and strengthened body but the biggest takeaway is body positivity and confidence.
My mission is to make LDM accessible to anyone, regardless of their shape, size and experience and for them to discover a new mindset.
I have a total, deep health and holistic approach to my work and I want everyone to feel empowered. Alongside a client’s fitness goals all areas of their health and wellbeing are supported. Sleep improves, stress levels decrease and metabolism increases. Clients discover muscles they never knew existed. You’ll find stubborn areas shape up and confidence returns.
Running my own business and trying to stay on top of my own wellness is not easy at times. Work doesn’t leave for much free time and I wear many different hats in the business! I try to have a day off per week and am mindful of factoring days off to repair physically and mentally. My main advice would be to ask for help and team up with likeminded people for support. I have a brilliant boyfriend and family who I can always rely on.
My workouts differ day-to-day, week-to-week depending on my workload. I am intuitive with my movement, nutrition and routine, so I tweak accordingly.
Covid-19 means that LDM Live is now a permanent fixture and I’m producing more LDM online workout videos as both of these offerings in the various lockdowns have been super popular. I have launched new LDM equipment and LDM On Demand is the next big release. Like most businesses I’m grateful to still operate and I’m constantly navigating this new normal and hoping to empower more and more clients along the way!
The Advice
I have one big life rule and that is to try not to take things personally: I wish I had not been so worried about what people thought of me. I spent the majority of my childhood and career on stage performing, so you might expect me to be a pretty extroverted character, however I was actually very shy. It was difficult having to constantly shrug off comments and criticism especially about my body. As a dancer you get booked based on your looks and height as well as your talent and over time that can wear you down. I am made of tough stuff but I took a fair amount to heart. I was always trying to please everyone and at some point you have to accept that some things are out of your control. That’s also why I’m so passionate about celebrating the body and what it can do.
The Kit
- Bare Biology Life & Soul Omega 3 oil – the best high quality fish oil out there. Clinical strength, sustainable, pure and IFOS 5 star rating.
- Supernova Woman 01 – This is my pre and post workout choice. Supernova have handy sachets to pop in your bag. Nutritious, delicious and jam packed with organic vegan protein and adaptogens to help support, destress and rebalance. These are great daily mixed with a good quality milk dairy or plant based milk.
- LDM Resistance Band as used in the Destino x LDM Sculpt workout video. Ideal to use to increase the challenge and resistance during home workouts, plus ideal for increasing flexibility. You can pop it in your bag when travelling giving you freedom to train anywhere.
- Clear It Wipes – I love these wipes from Skin in Motion – a range of exercise friendly skincare. Post workout I love use them to clean, refresh and hydrate my skin in one easy swipe.
- BetterYou’s Magnesium Spray – I use this magnesium spray daily. As it’s transdermal you can apply this to the soles of the feet (easily absorbed here). Adding magnesium to your diet will also help with any muscular aches and pains and aid sleep. I love to use magnesium after a shower or bath and aim to wind down and sleep within 30-60 minutes of applying it.
The Experts
Hairdresser: Hayley Lewis at Fresh Lifestyle, Fitzrovia – it’s down the road from my LDM Studio and I love going there for all my haircare needs. Such a friendly team that use Aveda products.
Hair Colourist: Lucie Jones at Fresh Lifestyle.
Blowdry go-to/hair treatment: Bond repair treatment from Aveda – it’s a plant-powered treatment and I have it at Fresh Lifestyle.
Facialist: I’ve had an incredible facial “workout” at FaceGym. I use a rose quartz roller at home and carefully select good skincare products to protect and nourish my skin alongside good nutrition and supplements.
Manicurist/Pedicurist: I have had some great mani’s and pedi’s at Fitzrovia nail bar LeFix.
Masseuse/Treatment to Unwind: I see Poonam Shah at Medical Home Visit, Mayfair – she is an osteopath, naturopath, offers acupuncture and is the lady I trust with not only my body but also my clients.
Brows: I’ve never had anything done to my lashes but I enhance my brows with Glossier’s Boy Brow.
Get In Touch
Address: Detox Kitchen, 10 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 3JJ
Contact: +44 (0) 203 318 4948 studio@louisadrake.com
Follow: @louisadrakemethod
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